Unit 13B - Galileo, the Stargazer Who Defied the World
Galileo, the Stargazer Who Defied the World
Henry Thomas and Dara Lee Thomas
A gay and noisy crowd was gathered in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was mostly composed of professors and students from the University of Pisa, although many townspeople were there as well. A professor of mathematics at the university was about to conduct an experiment which, as they all anticipated, was doomed to end in failure. This young man was brash enough to challenge a theory of the great Aristotle, and now he was going to turn himself into the laughing stock of Pisa.
The young professor calmly mounted the steps of the Tower. He carried a ten-pound shot in one hand and a one-pound shot in the other. In spite of the sneers of his students and the wrath of his fellow professors, he was prepared to prove the theory that two different weights, dropped simultaneously from the same height, would fall to the ground at the same time.
He released the balls. A gasp of astonishment rose from the crowd. It was unbelievable! The two balls of iron had reached the ground simultaneously.
The young professor was Galileo. And his triumph had a bitter taste.
He had proved his theory, but he had earned for himself the jealousy and hatred of his colleagues. Their minds refused to accept what their eyes had seen.
Galileo was born in Pisa, Italy, in February, 1564. As a boy, he was extraordinarily observant, and his curiosity about the world was too great to be satisfied. He could not accept as authoritative the answers which the adults about him, offered in response to his questions, and he was forever experimenting and devising tests to probe the mystery of things.
Galileo entered the University of Pisa to study medicine. But his real interests were mathematics and his experiments. When he was 19, he made his first important discovery. One day as he was sitting in church, his thoughts were interrupted by the persistent rattle of a chain. Looking about him, he discovered that the rattle came from a hanging oil lamp that was swinging back and forth. Fascinated by the rhythmic movement of the lamp, Galileo began to count its oscillations. Suddenly he jumped to his feet and rushed out of the church. A startling idea had occurred to him. It seemed to him that the movements of the lamp were regular.
Upon reaching home, Galileo put his theory to test. And so, in the swinging of an oil lamp, he discovered his important principle, the law of motion, which is applied today in the measurement of time, the eclipses of the sun and the movement of the stars.
It wasn't long before his professors found out about his secret studies and experiments and expressed their disapproval in no uncertain terms. It was considered wrong for a student to think for himself because all scientific problems, they declared, had all been settled by Aristotle. If a student was bold enough to say anything different, his professor would settle the argument with a quotation from Aristotle: "The Master has spoken..." And that was that. But Galileo went so far as to follow up his criticism with experiments of his own. This was going too far. For the good of the university as well as the good of his own soul, they had to curb this recklessness. They notified Galileo's father of his misdoings and the old man begged his son to settle down and obey his professors.
But the plea fell on deaf ears. Galileo had dedicated his life to the examination of nature and the pursuit of scientific truths. There could be no turning back now.
As a result of his "indiscretions," the university refused to grant Galileo his doctor's diploma. But his talent in mathematics was recognized by some of his professors and he was lucky enough to secure a position when the chair of mathematics became vacant, —undoubtedly because the salary was so low that nobody else wanted it!
The students hardly attempted to conceal their smiles at his lectures, and the professors hated him. How dare he try to contradict Aristotle! If he did not stop his nonsense, they would teach him a lesson he would never forget.
Galileo did not stop his "nonsense," and the professors went into action. The "lesson" with which they threatened him was their challenge to demonstrate one of his "idiotic" theories in the presence of the entire faculty and student body of the university. Galileo accepted the challenge and conducted his historic experiment regarding the laws of bodies in motion—an experiment that, as we have seen, aroused intense antagonism among the faculty.
Despite the persecution, Galileo continued with his own studies. Finally his opponents found an excuse and had him dismissed from the university.
But the dismissal turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for with the help of influential friends, he was able to obtain a much better position at the University of Padua, where, for the first time, he breathed the air of intellectual freedom. The university was under the supervision of the Independent Venetian Republic which insisted upon the right of its scholars to pursue their scientific studies without interference from the Inquisition. No longer were his lectures greeted with sneers and catcalls. He soon became famous. Students from all over Europe came to study under him. He wrote brilliant treatises on a variety of subjects—on mechanics, motion, sound and speech, light and color, and the thermometer and, above all, the telescope.
This was the height of Galileo's prosperity and security. He had now been in Padua for 18 years. But he was not happy. For years, he had longed for the day when he could return in triumph to Pisa, the city which had dismissed him in disgrace years before. So finally, despite the warning of his friends, Galileo returned to Pisa. This was the beginning of his tragedy.
While in Padua, Galileo had written a book concerning the movements of the heavenly bodies. For years Galileo had privately doubted the theory that the earth was fixed and everything in the heavens—the sun, moon, and stars—revolved around it. Galileo favored Copernicus' theory which declared that the earth is a planet which revolves around a fixed sun. He did not declare this in his book, for to do so would be to deliver himself into the torture chambers of the Inquisition. But the Grand Inquisitor, Cardinal Bellarmine, had noted the fact that he had declared himself a follower of Copernicus. Therefore, on March 26, 1616, Galileo was ordered to present himself before the Inquisition.
When he arrived at the Holy Office, the Cardinal "advised" him to "abandon his wrong opinions." Under the threat of persecution, he was not to think such thoughts, nor to defend them either orally or in writing.
Galileo was forced to obey. For a while he went quietly on with his experiments, not daring to disclose the results of his work to the world.
But in the end, Galileo was unable to suppress his ideas. He published another book on astronomy, and once more was summoned to appear before the Inquisition. But his time the charge was far more serious and death was the penalty for this "double crime."
Galileo was ill at the time. But the Inquisitors were heartless. "Let him be seized, bound in chains and transported to Rome."
Galileo arrived in Rome more dead than alive. His trial lasted six months. Finally he was compelled to renounce his belief. "Before the Holy Sainted gods, I swear that... I reject and detest my former heresies... I confess that my error has been one of vain ambition and pure ignorance... I now declare and swear that the earth does not move around the sun..."
But as his friends led him, trembling and exhausted, away from the Holy Office, Galileo is said to have remarked under his breath, "But the earth does move!”
When Galileo died on January 8, 1642, he left the world he loved far better informed than it was when he entered it.
参考译文——伽利略，挑战世界的观星人
伽利略，挑战世界的观星人
亨利·托马斯 达拉·李·托马斯
一大群人兴高采烈、熙熙攘攘地聚集在比萨斜塔前。虽然这些人中有许多普通市民，但大部分是来自比萨大学的教授和学生。比萨大学的一位数学教授将要做一项实验，而在这些观众们看来，实验注定会失败。这个高傲的年轻人竟然要挑战伟大的亚里士多德的理论，现在他就要成为整个比萨城的笑柄了。
这位年轻的教授从容地走上比萨斜塔。他一只手拿着一个十磅重的铁球，另一只手拿着一个一磅重的铁球。尽管学生讥笑，同事愤怒，他已经准备好证明自己的理论——两个重量不等的重物在同一高度同时释放后会同时着地。
他放开了两个球。人群中发出一阵惊叹声。真是太不可思议了！两个铁球同时着地了。
这个年轻的教授就是伽利略。他的成功带有苦涩的滋味。
他证明了自己的理论，但也招致了同事的嫉妒和怨恨。他们拒绝接受自己亲眼看到的一切。
伽利略于1564年2月出生于意大利比萨。孩提时，他就特别善于观察，他对世界的好奇心极强，这种好奇从来没有得到过满足。他从不会将周边的成年人对他的问题给出的答案奉为圭臬，而是一直通过实验或设计试验探索事物的奥秘。
伽利略为学医药学进入了比萨大学。但他真正的兴趣在于数学和他的实验。19岁时，他取得了第一个重大发现。一天在教堂坐着时，他的思绪屡次被一连串短促的咔嗒声打断。环顾四周，他发现那声音是由一只悬挂着的前后摇晃的油灯发出的。受油灯有节奏的运动吸引，伽利略开始细数油灯摆动的次数。突然间他一跃而起，冲出教堂。他有了一个惊人的想法，觉得油灯的运动似乎是有规律的。
一回到家，伽利略立即将他的理论付诸试验。于是，在油灯的摇摆中，他发现了重要的规律，也就是今天应用于计量时间、日食以及星体移动的运动规律。
不久教授们发现了伽利略私下的研究和实验，明确表示他们很不赞同。他们认为学生独立思考是不对的，因为他们讲过，所有的科学问题都已经让亚里士多德解决了。如果一个学生胆敢提出异议，他的教授就会拿出亚里士多德来摆平争议：“亚里士多德曾经说过……。”当时就是这样。但是伽利略研究深入，受到批评后仍然继续实验。这在其他人看来太过分了。为了学校着想，也为了伽利略本人着想,他们必须约束他这种鲁莽的行为。他们把伽利略做的错事告诉了他的父亲，老人家乞求儿子安分下来，听老师的话。
但是伽利略对于父亲的请求置若罔闻。他全身心地投入到对自然的研究和对科学真理的追求中。现在他已经无法回头了。
鉴于伽利略种种“不检点的行为”，校方拒绝授予其博士学位。但是他在数学方面的才华得到了某些教授的认可，并旦幸运地在数学界锁定了一个空缺职位——毫无疑问，这是因为那项工作薪酬很低，除了他没有人愿意干。
在伽利略的课堂上，学生们几乎毫不掩饰脸上讥笑的表情，教授们也都讨厌他。他怎么敢如此大胆地质疑亚里士多德？如果他再胡说八道，他们就会好好教训他一顿，让他终生难忘。
伽利略没有停止“胡说八道”，于是教授们采取了行动。他们威胁伽利略的“教训”就是挑衅他在全校师生面前证明他的某个“荒谬的”理论。伽利略接受了挑战并演示了那项具有历史意义的有关运动物体规律的实验。我们已经看到，那项实验在学校教职人员中引起了强烈的敌意。
尽管遭到迫害，伽利略没有间断自己的研究。最后他的敌人们找了个借口将他赶出了大学。
但是伽利略却因祸得福，在颇具影响力的朋友的帮助下，他在帕多瓦大学找到了一个更好的工作。在那里，他第一次呼吸到了学术自由的空气。学校由威尼斯共和国管理，该国主张学者进行科学研究不受宗教法庭干涉的权利。伽利略的讲座上再也没有讥笑和嘘声。他很快出了名。来自欧洲各地的学生纷纷追随他学习。伽利略写了许多杰出论文，主题多种多样——力学、运动、声与音、光与色，温度计，尤为重要的是，还有望远镜。
这是伽利略成就的高峰期，也是他人生中最安全的一段时光。他在帕多瓦待了18年。但他并不快乐。多年来，他渴望有一天能荣归比萨，那个多年前让他蒙羞离开的城市。于是，尽管朋友们忠言劝阻，伽利略最后还是回到了比萨。这是他悲剧的开端。
在帕多瓦时，伽利略写了一本有关天体运动的书。多年来，对于“地球固定，天上万物—— 太阳，月亮，星星——都围着地球转”的说法，伽利略一直感到怀疑。他赞同哥白尼的理论，认为地球是一颗围着太阳转的行星。伽利略并没有在书中写明这一点，因为这样做将会把他自己送入宗教法庭的刑讯室。但是宗教法庭庭长卡迪纳尔·贝拉尔米内发现了伽利略曾声称赞同哥白尼的事。因此，1616年3月26日，伽利略被召入宗教法庭。
进入圣殿后，红衣主教“建议”他“放弃他的那些错误的想法”。在迫害的威胁下，他不能再思考他的那些想法，也不能再以口头或书面形式对那些想法进行辩护。
伽利略被迫服从了。之后一段时间，他默默地进行实验，不敢向世人公开他的研究结果。
但是最后，伽利略终于无法压抑自己的见解了。他出版了另一本有关天文学的书籍，于是他再次被召入宗教法庭。但这次对他的指控要严重得多，死刑成了对他“两次罪行”的惩罚。
伽利略当时正在生病。但是宗教法庭庭长毫无同情之心。“抓住他，用铁链捆绑着押送到罗马去。”
伽利略到达罗马时已经奄奄一息。对他的审讯持续了六个月。最终他被迫放弃了自己的信仰。“我在至高无上的神灵面前发誓……我对自己之前的异端邪说表示懊悔并且深恶痛绝……我承认我犯的错简直就是异想天开，无知至极……现在我宣布并且发誓地球不是绕着太阳转的。”
但是当他的朋友带着浑身发抖、疲惫不堪的伽利略离开刑讯室时，据说伽利略悄悄地说道：“但是地球确实是围着太阳转的！”
伽利略于1642年1月8日去世。与他出生时相比，在伽利略离开他深爱的世界时，人们对世界有了更加深刻的认识。
Key Words:
challenge ['tʃælindʒ]
n. 挑战
v. 向 ... 挑战
stock [stɔk]
n. 存货，储备; 树干; 血统; 股份; 家畜
astonishment [əs'tɔniʃmənt]
n. 惊讶，令人惊讶的事
doomed [dumd]
adj. 命中注定的 动词doom的过去式和过去分词
spite [spait]
n. 恶意，怨恨
vt. 刁难，伤害
anticipated [æn'tisipeit]
adj. 预期的；期望的 v. 预料（anticipat
triumph ['traiəmf]
n. 凯旋，欢欣
vi. 得胜，成功，庆功
composed [kəm'pəuzd]
adj. 镇静的，沉着的
simultaneously [saiməl'teiniəsli]
adv. 同时地(联立地)
conduct [kən'dʌkt]
n. 行为，举动，品行
movement ['mu:vmənt]
n. 活动，运动，移动，[音]乐章
curiosity [.kjuəri'ɔsiti]
n. 好奇，好奇心
mystery ['mistəri]
n. 神秘，秘密，奥秘，神秘的人或事物
rattle ['rætl]
vi. 嘎嘎作响，喋喋不休
vt. 使激动，使
startling ['stɑ:tliŋ]
adj. 惊人的 动词startle的现在分词
response [ri'spɔns]
n. 回答，响应，反应，答复
n. [宗
interrupted [intə'rʌptid]
adj. 中断的；被打断的；不规则的 vt. 打断；中断
probe [prəub]
n. 探针，探测器，调查，查究
v. 用探针测
persistent [pə'sistənt]
adj. 固执的，坚持的，连续的
authoritative [ə'θɔ:ri.teitiv]
adj. 权威性的，命令式的
recklessness
n. 鲁莽；轻率；不顾一切，不顾后果
curb [kə:b]
n. 抑制，勒马绳，边石，路缘
vt. 抑制，
dedicated ['dedi.keitid]
adj. 专注的，献身的，专用的
bold [bəuld]
adj. 大胆的，粗体的，醒目的，无礼的，陡峭的
measurement ['meʒəmənt]
n. 测量，衡量，尺寸，大小
movement ['mu:vmənt]
n. 活动，运动，移动，[音]乐章
uncertain [ʌn'sə:tn]
adj. 不确定的
fell [fel]
动词fall的过去式
n. 兽皮
settle ['setl]
v. 安顿，解决，定居
n. 有背的长凳
disapproval [.disə'pru:vəl]
n. 不赞成
intense [in'tens]
adj. 强烈的，剧烈的，热烈的
presence ['prezns]
n. 出席，到场，存在
n. 仪态，风度
contradict [.kɔntrə'dikt]
vt. 反驳，与 ... 矛盾
demonstrate ['demənstreit]
vt. 示范，演示，证明
vi. 示威
secure [si'kjuə]
adj. 安全的，牢靠的，稳妥的
vt. 固定
antagonism [æn'tægənizəm]
n. 对抗，对立，敌对状态（行为）
conceal [kən'si:l]
vt. 隐藏，隐瞒，掩盖
grant [grɑ:nt]
n. 授予物，补助金; 同意，给予
n. 财产
vacant ['veikənt]
adj. 空的，空虚的，木然的
challenge ['tʃælindʒ]
n. 挑战
security [si'kju:riti]
n. 安全，防护措施，保证，抵押，债券，证券
intellectual [.intil'ektʃuəl]
n. 知识份子，凭理智做事者
adj. 智力的
disguise [dis'gaiz]
n. 假面目，伪装物，假装
vt. 假装，假扮
mechanics [mi'kæniks]
n. 力学，机械学，(技术的，操作的)过程，手法
pursue [pə'sju:]
v. 追捕，追求，继续从事
independent [indi'pendənt]
adj. 独立的，自主的，有主见的
n. 独立
brilliant ['briljənt]
adj. 卓越的，光辉的，灿烂的
n. 宝石
blessing ['blesiŋ]
n. 祝福，祷告
prosperity [prɔs'periti]
n. 繁荣，兴旺
disgrace [dis'greis]
n. 耻辱，不名誉
cardinal ['kɑ:dinl]
n. 红衣主教，鲜红色，基数，北美红雀
abandon [ə'bændən]
v. 放弃，遗弃，沉溺
n. 放纵
inquisition [.inkwi'ziʃən]
n. 调查，询问，(罗马天主教的)宗教法庭
threat [θret]
n. 威胁，凶兆
vt. 威胁, 恐吓
planet ['plænit]
n. 行星
declare [di'klɛə]
v. 宣布，声明，申报
disclose [dis'kləuz]
vt. 揭露
defend [di'fend]
v. 防护，辩护，防守
ambition [æm'biʃən]
n. 雄心，野心，抱负，精力
vt. 有 ..
suppress [sə'pres]
vt. 镇压，使 ... 止住，禁止
declare [di'klɛə]
v. 宣布，声明，申报
ignorance ['ignərəns]
n. 无知
vain [vein]
adj. 徒劳的，无效的，自负的，虚荣的
penalty ['penəlti]
n. 处罚，惩罚
confess [kən'fes]
v. 承认，告白，忏悔
trial ['traiəl]
adj. 尝试性的; 审讯的
n. 尝试，努力
renounce [ri'nauns]
v. 弃绝，放弃，否认
astronomy [əst'rɔnəmi]
n. 天文学
参考资料：